Let's Start Over
by The-creative-genius
Summary: Troy and Gabriella reconnect after years of life. Both are living life at 28 and are unfulfilled. The Two cross paths in an effort to survive. Will Gabriella find what she was missing? Will Troy remember what love is? "I want to know what you think"
1. Seeking a friendly Face

**Chapter One ~ December 14th 2018 (11:00pm) Boston, Following: (Gabriella)**

**Gabby noticed every detail, especially the fact that the place seemed too quiet. The apartment seemed quiet. She knew she'd find all the occupants asleep.**

**The light that lit up the apartment stairwell flickered, and Gabby shivered. It was December and last week's snow was already forming ice on the ground. Gabby's breath formed a cloud around her face in the darkness.**

**She wondered what life was like elsewhere. She looked up thoughtfully, although there were two many clouds in the sky to see the stars, but Gabby knew they were there above her.**

**She inhaled softly and shivered again. The night air seeped through her cheaply purchased cloth coat with fraying edges. Underneath the coat, she wore several thin sweaters, none of which did any good this time of night. She had very little money to afford anything new. There was no money to be had. Gabby had recently been fired from her research institute job. Gabby had been job searching but hadn't come up with much. She was employed as a receptionist at a local law firm last week but was finding she hated it.**

**Her fiancé fought with her over how they were going to pay for the wedding. She hated that too. She hated work, and she hated life at home. She couldn't stand that she had nowhere to go. Gabby found solace in a local bar near her apartment, where she went every evening after work for a drink or two. She watched the sports channel in the bar every few nights hoping to see Troy Bolton or anyone else she might know elsewhere.**

**Tonight she was Lucky. A small broadcast about the Knicks game earlier in the evening had flashed a shot of Troy Bolton and several Knicks players shaking hands after their big win. Gabby had hiccupped at the sight and tried to stare down her beer, without an emotional breakdown. It hadn't worked well, and she had been slightly depressed. The beer as it turns out couldn't console her.**

**It was late; Gabby knew that. She'd gone out after work for a few drinks because today was her birthday. Gabby was 28 years old today, about 10 years ago she spent her birthday with the man she loved. She remembered Troy fondly, and couldn't believe what he had been like when they had met several years prior. Her Fiance' Evan was supposed to meet her here for drinks, in a celebratory manner. He never showed. She figured he was back at the apartment, too tired, or too drunk to come out and enjoy.**

**Tonight however she had a couple drinks by herself at the bar. She had been asked by a nice gentleman to dance, but had refused the offer. As nice as he appeared she felt it would be wrong to accept a dance without her Fiancé present. The man she thought she loved was supposedly at home. Looking at her apartment in the dark she wished she had taken the offer to dance. She might have had some fun, it being her birthday and all. What a grim life she led.**

**The weather forecaster mentioned snow was possible tonight. Gabby loved snow. She loved the way it fell, and the way the whole world seemed to go quiet underneath it. The snow glistened, and it shone, and the world was soft and white. Tonight however Gabby hopes sank as she saw the clouds overhead shift a little.**

**It would probably rain instead, she thought. She was getting colder by the minute, even though the alcohol kept her slightly warm. She hurried up the steps, carefully clinging to the raining to avoid slippery ice and puddles. She reached her door but turned instead to the railing. Gabby's eyes drifted across the glowing streets below wanting more. There was more to be had elsewhere. In her imagination the gentleman from the bar spun her around and she was flying.**

**Gabby's hand shook as she turned the key and pushed open the apartment door. The glow from the hallway threw shadows across the room, thus illuminating the couch. The garish light stunned Gabby for a moment. The couch was draped with a crochet blanket of which her mother in law to be had sent last winter. Gabby thought it was rather ugly, but her fiancé Evan had them display it a few weeks out of every year around Christmas, or when his mother visited.**

**Christmas wasn't for another week or so, and the ugly blanket had again made its appearance. When Gabby shut the door she was surprised at how dark the apartment became. Gabby felt at ease with the dark and the warmth that emanated from the heater. Gabby leaned against the back of the door and took a deep breath. She let out a sigh of relief. Seeing as Evan was probably asleep, she would not have a fight with him tonight. She removed her coat and hung it along with her purse and briefcase from the hat tree in the corner. She flicked on the small desk light in the living room.**

**She was now face to face with several pictures of Gavin, Evan's child from his first marriage. The little boy had been dumped on her the second his first wife walked out. The adorable three years old was a handful, but most of the time Gabby didn't mind. Gabby had always wanted kids of her own, but Evan felt one was enough. Evan didn't appreciate his child and preferred instead to leave him under gabby's care.**

**They fought about this many times, and Gabby finally gave up. Sighing, as she past the pictures, Gabby finally realized how tired she was. She removed her shoes and wandered across the soft carpet, towards the back bedrooms. She flicked off the light as she left the living room. The door on her left was closed, which surprised Gabby. That was Gavin's room, and he couldn't sleep with the door closed. That was a fight for another night. It probably meant Gavin and Evan were together in the big bed and she was resigned to the couch. Gabby walked further down the hallway, and into her own bedroom.**

**December 14th 2018 (11:00 pm) New York, Following: (Troy)**

**The final seconds of the Knicks game sounded. Troy stood up from his courtside seat and cheered loudly. He loved the Knicks. The Knicks had won the game. Troy however wasn't surprised. Some players he had befriended trotted over to shake his hand as he congratulated them on such a great game. Troy had met them during the marketing and management team induction, several weeks prior. Even with all the excitement, Troy couldn't help but be slightly depressed. Today was Gabriella's birthday and he hadn't seen her in several years, give or take a few years and a few life style changes. He had stopped drinking, and had gone to AA meetings to help him conquer his need to drink.**

**The last time he had seen her was New Years Eve about 5 years ago, and he'd been drunk. He knew that had been a mistake. He couldn't recall what he had said to her, be he knew it wasn't nice. At that point, had been a heavy drinker out of college and had fallen into a slump. There had been a period of a few years where he barely spoke to anyone. A few friends from High school and college had come to his rescue. With his feet back on the ground, a steady job and a somewhat upscale apartment, Troy's future was looking up. At least Troy could sleep when the ghosts were at bay. Although he still saw her sometimes in his dreams.**

**Troy waved at his friends as they left for the dressing room amidst their fellow teammates. As soon as his friends were out of sight his shoulders went back to a slumped position. He had been depressed and slightly reclusive lately. Aside from his marketing and sports management job he spent a lot of time alone. He enjoyed playing basketball with friends when he got the chance, but when he wasn't playing or working, he was depressed and drank a lot to cure his mind. He had friends on the basketball team and a job he adored, but somehow he wasn't fulfilled.**

**Troy was deep in thought when a sports reporter accosted him. She was a brunette, who reminded Troy of Gabriella; the reporter even had pretty brown eyes to match. Troy was thinking of Gabriella more now, he felt deep down he had never really let her go. At the moment, Troy used his Boyish good looks and charming smile, to market to the audience. Troy talked a little about the game and made references to how he thought they were doing as far as their record.**

**The sportscaster had a great smile and Troy carefully answered all her question so he wouldn't embarrass himself. The talk of the game was boring to Troy but he didn't show it. As interesting as basketball was to him, it felt like an act for the audience. Troy wished he were a professional player himself. His career had ended in the middle of his sophomore year of college. A bad ankle injury left him unable to jump and ultimately led to him becoming a benched player. His father had been**

**After the interviewer left, Troy got up from his seats and moved toward the press box. One of his good friends from high school and later college wrote for an ESPN version website and got Troy access to the box. The two met for drinks a few times a month. Troy left his seat and made his way towards the box. The fans were filing out and the arena was loud and excited. Troy smiled and pretended to be happy, and kept a wary eye out for more reporters. Troy finally reached the press box after shoving his way through tons of very loud fans. The court was still busy as Troy climbed the stairs that overlooked it. When he reached the top he turned and looked down the hall. The door was closed but that didn't stop Troy from walking up anyways.**

**Troy knocked on the door and looked up as the door was opened. His friend Chad stood beaming on the other side of the door. Troy smiled. The pressroom was mostly empty, except for a few reporters typing away quietly in the corner. Chad ushered him in. Chad exchanged glances with troy for a moment as if trying to read his face. After his nodded approval the two guys shook hands and sat down on a nearby sofa. Troy tried to smile, but he couldn't think about anything but Gabriella. Chad tossed a thick folder on the table and opened it up. Troy peered over it as well. The first couple pages were statistics, the last pages were game shots and of course a printed version of Chad's article. Troy picked up the article, and read it over carefully for mistakes.**

**The two men chatted over beers and the night wore on. Troy liked Chad's company more then he could possibly say.**


	2. A night Visitor

**December 23****rd****, 2018 New York (Gabriella) (10am-1am)**

Gabby stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. The very instant her body felt the jolt, she was falling fast. Her small frame crashed into the pavement, and her coat tore at the shoulder. Her knees took the full impact, and her elbows felt the gravel. The pain doubled as she felt her kneecaps begin to bruise. In all the confusion, she lost hold of the piece of paper she was holding out in front of herself. The earlier part of the day had seen a little bit of cold rain, and the pavement was still a little slippery. Gabby made sure she watched her steps on the pavement.

She picked herself off the sidewalk just in time to see the paper fly high into the crisp air. The small piece of paper spun in the wind putting Gabby at a full-blown run in order to catch it. She stopped at the intersection, for the light was green. To her horror, the paper blew right into the middle of the road. Traffic had to pass for a few moments, before gabby could snatch the paper back again. The piece of paper, which was once a map, was now torn and slightly covered in mud and exhaust fluid, and black ice chunks. The rain certainly hadn't helped much. She could barely read the street name she had to find. She sat on the stoop of a nearby building and cried. After a few moments of tears, Gabby shoved the piece of paper deep into her pocket and headed on her way. She needed to find him.

The world had been cruel and she wanted it to end. Why had she dragged herself here from Boston? She was clinging to a hope that she wasn't sure even still mattered. She wished she'd been nicer to him when they'd last met. It had been so long ago and he had been drunk. She had been with her fiancé in a bar in Massachusetts, when Troy had walked in with some players from a college basketball team she didn't know. He had been terribly drunk and she too had had a few drinks. She had tried to talk to him, but he had ended up making wildly inappropriate comments about her and she had slapped him. That was the last time they spoke.

On the map she had drawn directions to Troy's apartment. She remembered seeing him in a bar around here several years ago. She knew he still hosted, or managed for the Knicks, so he was in New York, somewhere. Going about it the smart way, she figured she'd look him up. She spent an entire day looking through phonebooks in hopes of finding him. She hoped there weren't that many Bolton's in the city. A week or so ago she had seen him on sports center channel, after the game the Knicks had won. She remembered watching that on birthday because she had been in the bar alone.

She tried to recall the pretenses under why she had left him. She kicked a small stone along the sidewalk and thought harder. She had wanted an education, and he had wanted a career. Although Troy and her had connected once after High school, they were too far away, and too driven to hang out much. Gabriella founded a research institute, but after a few years the government shut her down due to inadequate funds.

Her birthday had been a terrible nightmare. Her fiancé lost his job and left her for all she was worth. That evening she arrived home, to an empty apartment. She cried herself to sleep with Images of Troy in her head. She hadn't known he was gone for good till the next morning, when there was a note posted on the door. She had missed it in the dark the night before.

From the looks of the place, her fiancé had taken all of his stuff and left her with the bills and the receipts and paperwork and money debts. She spent two days in her apartment alone before she decided it was not to be. She canceled all the credit cards and checked on her bank account, which was mostly empty, and drank to keep her fiancé at bay. She had some money saved up, but it was too little to do anything with. He ran up credit on joint cards and didn't pay them off, as well as the ones in her name. They money he owed was so great; there was no way she could go on like this.

On the third day, there was a knock at the door. When she opened her door, her surly looking landlord, stepped in with an outstretched hand. She pointed out that her fiancé had paid the rent last week. The landlord shook his head. Gabby tried to be of brave standing but lost it when the landlord told her the rent was several months overdue. The landlord gave her a statement, and told her to be out by tomorrow. Only then did she learn that her fiancé had gambled the money she gave him for the rent. The world collapsed around her.

That afternoon and well into the next day Gabby and her closest friend a woman named Nolene, packed up her apartment. Their mutual friend Sharpey had introduced Nolene, to Gabby. Nolene and her husband lived a few miles south of Boston, and invited Gabby to dinner every so often. Today however, Nolene was there for support. Through her pain she packed all of her belongings into several large boxes. She didn't have very much. Nolene and her husband had agreed over the phone that they would indeed hold as many boxes of Gabby's stuff as she needed in their basement. Gabby couldn't thank them enough, for housing her life while she looked for a new place to live and a new job.

The following day at noon the landlord came by to inspect the progress. He helped the two ladies move Gabby's boxes into a waiting car near the street side of the building. Gabby wanted to find Troy. She thought maybe he could help her find an apartment or a small loft in New York.

All she planned take with her was a backpack, into which she put the things that mattered most. In the backpack, was the only money she had, a cell phone with a calling card for 10 minutes, two shirts and a pair of mittens. She also had a photo album with her favorite pictures of the past 5 years. There was also a small notepad, a pocketknife, a small bible, and a small bottle of whiskey.

She put on several sweaters and her coat, but even that didn't keep the cold out. She wished she was wearing more clothing, or at least had purchased a stronger coat. The coldest part of the year was settling down upon the city, and she was oblivious.

She had enough pocket money for one bus ride to New York. She told Nolene she would call if things didn't pick up within a few days. Nolene agreed, knowing that Gabby would keep her word. With that gabby hopped the liner from Boston to New York. She ate whenever she could, or whenever she felt she needed to; but still did not eat enough to satisfy her needs. When she got to New York however, there were other obstacles. The first two days in the city were a nightmare. Unable to afford even simple things, she ate and slept in shelters and Red Cross facilities. The beds at the shelter were hard and lumpy and Gabby wished for something better.

The traveling was taking a toll on Gabby's body. What little food she consumed, her body became weaker. The shelters, the squalor and the dirt didn't help either. It was nearing Christmas and she was sure she'd never find him. She prayed she would find him every day. He was her only hope. Last week's snow was clumping on the sidewalks and Gabby couldn't help but feel as though she too, was just another thing to get old and vanish.

She wasn't sure she even knew anymore. She looked up every Bolton in the area and had come up with nothing. She tried, every name, every address, and every phone number. There were so many of them in the city.

There was one last name on the list, and Gabby hoped, and prayed that it was him. She wasn't sure she could do this anymore. If she didn't find him today, she would go home. Maybe it wasn't meant to work out. She scoped out the apartment building that the last number in the phonebook corresponded with.

She sat by the apartment and watched. Even on better circumstances, this is not the way she wanted to re-enter his life. The day came to an end, and people walked to and fro on the streets, many cast their eyes down on her as they past. To them she was another disheveled beggar in search of a few coins or a hot meal. Most avoided her altogether. By 7:00 it had started to rain, and the streets cleared up as if someone had thrown a switch. Many people headed into buildings and under awnings, some called taxis and some got in cars.

The rain had soaked through Gabby's thin coat and water had started to drip into her boots. Her unruly hair hung limply in clusters where she hadn't brushed it back. The rain was the only positive thing that had ever happened; because of the rain nobody would notice her tears. She let her tears run steadily down her face. She sat on the retaining wall outside the building and contemplated how to go home.

Before 11:00 a nicer make of car, Gabby who didn't know anything about cars couldn't have said what it was, pulled into the apartment garage and Gabby noticed that the driver was none other than Troy. She followed him with her eyes until he disappeared. She was afraid of what seeing him again meant. She wasn't sure she wanted to go face to face with her nightmares, not yet. There was a disheveled look about Troy too. She couldn't tell really from her position, but she was sure he had ghosts too.

Gabby let the rain tumble around her and thought about how she would approach him. After a short time, She was finally ready, or as ready as she'd ever be. She took one long breath and stepped inside the building. She walked inside quietly so that nobody would hear her. She walked up one flight of stairs, but afterward found she didn't have enough energy to lift her feet. The day had taken its toll on her. She found an elevator and rode it to the 15th floor. She hated elevators, they reminded her of her research job. She was too cocky, the intelligence so new, her program too underfunded. How could she have missed the signs?

Apartment 151A was on her left. She stumbled up to the door, and used her strength to knock. It was the middle of the night. She knew she shouldn't do this. What would she gain if he said no? Where else was there to turn?

The door opened and she was looking into Troy's blue eyes. She loved his eyes and always had, it was hard to say why. It was all in there, her joys, her pain, her ultimate gift of love, was reflected in those very eyes. His however held pain, deep suffering and longing.

She was unable to speak, her ability to speak, and think was diminished. She was cold, and tired, and couldn't stand much longer. Once she saw him, her mind stuck on instant reply, she backed away a little instinctively. She could only murmur, and in response Troy offered her his hand. She accepted, and walked through his door into heaven. A numbing uncaring oblivion swept over her, and she fell into a soft white cloud.

**December 24****th**** 2018 New York (Troy) (1am)**

There was a knock on the door of Troy's apartment. The rap echoed through the surrounding atmosphere. The sound waves blistered in all directions filling the empty space. Although the knock was soft, its presence was not. The soft rap awoke Troy from deep slumber, and dreams of basketball and Gabriella. He turned over and looked at the clock on his nightstand, which was hard to make out. The numbers were hard to read, he hit it once, in hopes hat it would light up. Outside his window a flash of lightning and the soft patter of rain could be heard. It wasn't the storm that woke Troy tonight, although he had been afraid of them as a kid. The snow on the streets would be ice by tomorrow, and slippery on Christmas the day after. Troy could just imagine driving his new car through that, on Christmas morning to that charity function. He shook his head in frustration. He hated this time of year, and the charity functions were always terrible. Everyone wanted to know why he didn't have a girlfriend or female co-worker to bring. Going alone always meant ridicule. Christmas for Troy was a sad holiday. He balled up a section of the covers and tried to release his anger.

Troy listened intently to the night air, as he tried to wake up. He turned over, and pressed himself up on his forearm to see the clock better. The flashing red dials told him that it was 1am. He pushed his feet to the side of the bed and shook his head. Too early, he told himself. He proceeded to sit upright, using his hands to rub his eyes. He shook the blanket off and it slid to the ground, he left it there in a heap. It didn't matter to him; nobody would have to see the mess he made of his bed. Troy unwrapped himself from his sheets and stood up. He'd been having a good dream, and he usually didn't get visitors at night. If it were his manager, or his drinking buddies looking for some fun this time of night, he'd send them packing.

His scantily clad frame was muscular and tan, because since high school he'd kept in shape playing basketball. Although basketball didn't take as a career, he'd gone on to be a well-paid management and marketing asset for a professional basketball club. He was only wearing a pair of boxers, which covered him to the middle of his thighs. Troy flexed his upper arms and looked out the window into the dark night. The roll of thunder could be heard over the New York cityscape outside. Troy shivered and tried to forget his fear of storms.

Troy's well kept, and somewhat expensive apartment was on the 15th floor, so he felt like he was above the city. The lightning was so close, and the thunder so deep to Troy it felt like it was on top of him. This feeling always brought back the nightmares. Troy looked across the darkened room and decided to put on a t-shirt, because answering the door in one's boxers was not truly professional. Once when he'd been younger he'd answered the door in his boxers and his manager had laughed at him. He decided he didn't want that to happen again. He threw the white t-shirt over his head and stepped into a pair of sweatpants for safety. You never could tell who was going to come knocking.

The heater smelled of cloves and warmth, he turned away and stumbled out to the foyer of his apartment. This was always the hard part, he wasn't sure he heard the knocks anymore. It could just be a joke. He took a deep breath and reached for the door handle just as the knock sounded again. He was sure there was someone there. Troy took another deep breath and slowly let it out afraid of what he might find. In a small burst of energy Troy threw back the lock and turned the knob. The door swung in a small arch, stopping at Troy's foot.

In the hallway, under the garish yellow orange light stood the one woman Troy had ever loved. He rubbed his eyes, in the belief that he was still asleep. Her dark hair was wet and fell past her shoulders, framing the face that Troy loved. He frame was small and thinner than Troy had remembered, as if she hadn't eaten since Troy had seen her last. She was soaked to the bone and could hardly stand. The look was befitting more of a stray dog, then a woman. She was stooped, leaning on the doorframe as if that knock had taken all her energy away. With a glance to the left and the right, Troy opened the door of his apartment more, and stepped toward her. Troy noticed small amounts of snow on her worn coat, and on her eyelashes. He got closer. Behind her was a small suitcase no bigger than a travel backpack. Troy realized she'd probably been living like this for some time, he couldn't even imagine what that was like.

Troy wanted to make sure she didn't die of hypothermia, so he opened up his door a little more. He would need to coax her inside. He looked deep into her eyes, and studied her. Her face was expressionless like she knew coming back here was like crawling back to what could have been, not what was. Her body language spoke of troubles and homelessness, Troy need not ask. He stepped back opening the door fully.

Her brown eyes looked up at Troy and pleaded as though her life depended on it. Her eyes held years of pain and emotion, some of which Troy knew was his fault. Moments past as the two stared at each other, the silence was as fragile as glass, Incredibly thin glass at that. Troy made up his mind to take her in no matter what it cost him. He still loved her through all the pain, and years of hate and passion. She was still the only woman who had ever come to his rescue and taught him the true meaning of love.

Troy couldn't stand it anymore, he wanted to pick her up and make all of her troubles disappear. For a moment, Troy thought he was still dreaming. He hadn't seen her in several years, and even then they had only spoken a few words and she had slapped him in front of his manager and some drinking buddies. He couldn't remember what she had said, but he remembered how he felt afterwards. He knew she had been angry, and that she probably only thought of him as some drunk. He wondered how she got here.

Guilt was not he right word; it was more like a gnawing pain that never left. The ghosts that stayed with him, along with his remorse of wanting something else. The ability to bring her back into his life eased that a little bit, but not enough. She still had true beauty that other women would never have, and every time he was with another woman his mind drifted back to her and what their high school relationship had been. She had been perfect. At 28, Troy could have any woman of his choice, but he kept himself clean of the woman who just wanted him for his body. He'd had many of those before in his day. There were no other women in his life right now. He needed to feel her pain and absolve his own.

Troy stuck out his hand and a small and fragile one was placed inside it. Troy felt at ease with her hand in his. Troy guided her into his apartment, being careful with how fast he moved. With his free hand he grabbed her bag, which was soaked as well. Troy led her inside shutting the door behind them. Troy left her in the living room and went to fetch towels and a dry outfit for her to wear. He didn't really have any women's clothing, so he grabbed his robe instead. When he returned her strength had failed her and she had fainted into a heap on the bearskin rug Troy had in the center of the room.


	3. Form and Function

**December 24****th**** (2am-4am) Troy**

Troy carefully lifted Gabriella off the floor where she lay in an unconscious state. He was not sure what to do with her. He tried to think clearly although he was only half awake. Gabriella as he had noticed in the hallway, was soaked more then a little. He tried to channel his mother, or at least what might she do if she were here. It hit him; his mother would run a hot bath. At least all the times he himself had stumbled into his living room at home soaked on cold nights, his mother had done that for him. He should do the same for her. He didn't have enough female friends to call one over and ask if they would help him out. Nothing could help now. If the situation had been different, he would love the way the still small Gabriella felt in his arms.

Without any hesitation he turned around, and walked into the bathroom. He looked around and thought out his options. He carefully set Gabriella down on the bathmat that covered the floor as he hurried to undress her and start a warm bath. His hand brushed alongside her cheek, as he set her down and it felt as if it were immortalized in his dreams. He brought out some of the biggest, fluffiest towels he had and set them nearby. She hadn't changed much since he had last seen her, and to him she was always beautiful. He hair had come undone from her clip and it now fell past her shoulders in a tangled but still pretty wave of curls. Troy loved her curls. He dated a girl in college that had curls in hopes that he could channel Gabriella. It didn't work very well. She only wanted him for his athletic body.

He removed her coat, which he found beyond repair, he tossed it behind him into the hallway. He'd remember to put it into the hamper when he got the chance. Next came several sweaters, they seemed grungy although he made a mental note to have housekeeping salvage them. Those too went into the pile. Her boots and socks were soaked as well. She was like a human puddle. Her jeans were thin and raggedy, although they also went with the sweaters. He was careful to move her as little as possible. Her elbows had deep bruises and her knees too seemed to be a yellow green color all over. Her kneecaps were darker and had bloody scrapes, several of which looked newly acquired. Troy too had bruises, but he did not expect to find any on Gabriella.

Troy realized the unconscious Gabriella would drown if placed directly in the tub. He didn't know much about health and safety procedures. He thought about it for a moment, unsure of how. He realized he too would have to get in to keep her upright in the tub. He removed his shirt and sweatpants, but left his boxers on. He felt very exposed, even though she was more so then him.

Once both were completed her picked her up and held her tight to his chest as he lowered himself into the tub. The tub was of substantial size, so the two fit comfortably. The warm water made the clothing stick to him and gabby with it. Her small and slender body was smooth to the touch. Troy used a washcloth to remove all the dirt and grime that had plagued her over the last week. He hands and palms had scratches and gravel as well as layers of dirt. He moved the washcloth up to her arms and her face. The bathwater started to darken. Underneath all the dirt she was incredibly pretty still. Troy loved running his hand along her long, lean shoulders, and down her smooth arms. When she was clean, she glistened. He loved how smooth her skin felt beneath his fingers and how the warm water made her skin pink.

He bathed Gabby from head to toe taking extra precautions with her hair. He loved her hair, and all of it's wild curls. He washed her hair and carefully rinsed her skin till it shone. The dirt and grime, and oil of several days was apparent in the water. Her tiny hands fit perfectly in his, and he made sure her shapely fingers and nails were clean and clipped well. Even In her helpless state, Troy was utterly floored by her perfection. Every curve of her body was flawless, every arm, leg, and toe. After the bath, he towel dried her and carried her, and placed her in his bed. The bed looked too big for such a small woman. Troy almost laughed at the site of small Gabriella alone in a king sized bed. The sheets made her look like an doll amongst his pillows.

On instinct, he turned up the heater and piled the bed with blankets. He acted before he thought about what he was doing. He carefully laid out the blankets, and made her comfortable on his pillow. Although his guest bedroom was down the hall he wanted to make sure she was comfortable. He needed to be there for her whatever it might cost him.

Once drying off himself, he redressed and watched her intently for any sign of consciousness. He put her clothes in his washing machine, and made a note to buy her a new coat. She was soundly still in a sleep deprived state. She probably hadn't slept well in days. He made soup from a can and attempted to spoon-feed it to her although it didn't work well. After several tries and a lot of spilled soup he gave up. He was just as nervous, as he was protective.

Troy was unable to do anything but comfort her and hope that she would wake soon. He sat in his nook nearby, and waited. Troy dug around in his closet and found a hair blow dryer, and proceeded to dry out her backpack. It was the least he could do for her. He dumped its contents on the floor and used the dryer to dry everything. He started by separating things out. The phone was beyond repair he'd buy her a new one, if she needed one. The calling card was plastic and was safe. The t-shirts he would wash along with her other clothing. The photo album was a surprise; there were pictures of a much younger Gabby waving and smiling from every page. There were other people with her and Troy was certain whoever they were, he didn't like them. They had left Gabby, left her with no means of support. The pair of mittens, he would wash. There was also a small notepad had some stuff written on it, most of which was wet and unreadable. Troy also found her small pocketknife, along with her small bible, and a small bottle of whiskey. There wasn't any whiskey left however. What could have been so serious in her life that she too would turn to drinking. He didn't contemplate long. Gabriella began to shiver.

The heater was not enough to keep her warm, so Troy lay in bed next to her enveloping her in his own body heat. The feeling of once again holding near him was invigorating, and brought a new level of awareness. His body gained a feeling of absolute comfort when her breath played against his chest and her fragile body rested against his arm. The smell of her hair and skin was enough to put Troy in heaven. Her body had a natural perfume that he loved. Her honey colored skin was in stark reflection to his gray silk sheets, and her hair lit up the white pillows. She snuggled into the bed as if it was her own.

Late into the night, her breathing became normal and Troy forced himself to leave her for some time. Troy realized she was going to be okay. Troy tried to sleep in the guest bed, but found himself drawn to her. He ended up sleeping on the floor near the bed for any sign of her arousal. Although he was uncomfortable he was happy just being near her. Troy's mind wandered to how he'd felt seeing Gabby at the door. The rain let up around the early hours of the morning and to Troy's amazement it started to snow. He watched the flakes fall softly to the ground.

**December 24****th**** (11am) Gabby**

Gabby struggled to find a comfortable position, and when she did it was a battle to lift her eyelids. She was comfortable, and the comfort dragged her down deeper. When opened her eyes sought protection from the brightness of the world around her. It dawned on Gabby that she was still dreaming. The glare of the overcast and white world was through the bay windows that surrounded Troy's complex. Gabby's attention drifted away from the glow of the world and dawned on the reality of her present state. Gabby realized with some relief that she was no longer plagued by pain, cold and hunger. She now resided in a king sized bed with the luxurious silk sheets rippling over her like water and a strong familiar scent that brought back memories. Gabby hands went to her face and discovered her newly dried and sweet smelling hair in ringlets across her cheek. Gabby sighed contentedly and rolled over allowing herself to breath in the masculine smell of the pillow and sheets. She'd always wanted this. Her fantasy come true. She smiled in spite of herself.

She enveloped herself in the down comforter and breathed in the enticing smell. Her eyes began to droop and she drifted off into a fantasy about a gorgeous man separate having claimed her and having to live forever in his castle. The man would come to her tower and give her the most amazing sex just for staying with him. She was captive but she liked him, and would forever be his. The closing of a door nearby jarred Gabby from her peaceful state of mind. Her eyes shot open as the realization from the previous night sank in. Her ears caught a sound, and it was only then that she realized she was not alone. At this point her fantasy disappeared and she didn't care who he was, she wasn't sure she wanted to be a captive. The sounds disappeared for a few minutes and Gabby could hear running water and the sounds of someone singing. The fans in the bathroom turned on and there was the clinking of a mirror and the sounds of an electric razor. Gabby hid her face in the pillow. It was true, there was a man about.

Her senses were dulled but she could make out the presence of a man in the room. The doors nearby closed. Gabby still kept her head hidden for fear of meeting this stranger. A blanket lay tossed over the back of a chair and next to it laid out was a jersey, on the floor was a pair of basketball shorts, and shoes and socks in a heap. The creaking of drawers and the rustle of clothing was enough to make Gabby apprehensive. The growing apprehension made Gabby uneasy. She swept her hand in a downward manner to appraise her attire and found herself devoid of all clothing. She let out a gasp that was more mental then actual, and attempted to sit upright. Gabby used her hands to wrap the comforter and extra blankets up to her chin, so not to expose herself. She shivered with the thought of her dream, her captor.

Troy stepped out of the shadows as he buttoned his suit pants and reached for his undershirt, which lay on the chair nearby. When he noticed Gabby was awake he crept closer to the bed. Gabby looked at him as though seeing him for the first time. His blue eyes with their captivating power and his chestnut hair were of fascination to her. In the years since she had seen him last, he had become taller and thinner, his frame like that of a swimmer's; narrow with shoulders wide enough to make his waist and hips seem as thin as a woman's. His skin in her absence had become a warmer shade of honey brown and Gabby was sure it was still as smooth. His muscular arms made him look more handsome then boyish. He'd finally grown into his spindly frame and unkempt hair, and the devilish grin he wore. There were muscles in places she had never noticed and curves and a six-pack that he hadn't had when he left high school. She would be his captive any day.

Gabriella's eyes drifted lower and she had a hard time keeping her mind on appropriate things. She scowled at him, in hopes of keeping him at bay. She did not need him any closer. The look in Troy's eyes gave off a look of hurt and sadness as she tried to stare him down. It couldn't have been long since she arrive. How had she ended up in his bed?

" What have you done to me Troy Bolton?" she rasped. Her arms tugged the comforter up a little higher, in hopes of protecting her modesty. Troy looked down and gave her a sad smile. "You came here last night, soaked and about to catch your death by cold." Troy shifted from foot to foot as he spoke. Something Gabriella realized he hadn't outgrown from high school. He was nervous, she could tell. " I helped you into the tub and let you sleep in my bed." Troy replied after a little hesitation. Gabriella's eyes got really wide. Thoughts of troy undressing her seemed really dangerous. Thank god she wasn't awake for that. She was thankful but utterly suspicious. Troy was looking at her curiously, as she thought al this out. "Thank you" she murmured after a few moments. She looked around, getting the first look at where she actually lay. He began to dress fully, watching the clock.

He eyes drifted around the large but modestly decorated apartment. There was a small dresser with a modern mirror mounted above it, the mirror shone from the small window nearby. The room was semi circular with a small lounge couch in the corner, and a reading light occupying a small table nearby. She followed the curtains up to three large windows, which followed the curve of the room, and really brightened the room. Overall the setup was in good taste but too plain to be anything but a man's room. The bookshelf was filled with magazines. Most of which she thought were basketball or sports related.

When she brought her eyes back toward Troy, he was looking at her intently. She held his gaze for a moment, before letting a thin smile come to her lips.


End file.
